Festive crowds gathered in Milan, Italy, to witness a giant world record breaking Christmas Panettone cake covered with ruby and dark chocolate, prepared by famous maître chocolatier Davide Comaschi.

The huge baked seasonal treat was displayed and offered to passers-by in Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, within the city centre, and weighed 332,2 kilos, with a height of 150 centimetres.

As part of the centrepiece of its design, the cake featured a striking chocolate cityscape representing Milan, which is especially known for its Christmas panettone, as well as a number of other fine confectionery ranges including pralines and pastries.

Requiring 100 hours of preparation, the creators of the record-breaking cake were presented with a world Guinness record certificate for the largest panettone ever produced. It was produced by a team of six professionals based within the city’s chocolate academy.